Very powerful and perfect pocket pistol. No one will see it coming. Keep a firm grip b/c well . . . RECOIL

This is my go to EDC, I’m a big fan of the 357 magnum.
I changed out the grips for some premium rosewood with the S&W silver medallion. That combined with the shrouded hammer gives it a very nice look.
It has a very nice trigger and I was easily hitting half silhouette steel plates from 25 yards with 158 grain 357 magnum rounds.
Like always, shopping at Buds was a great experience and I’m glad I own this gun!

Very nice revolver, good for concealed hand gun. I carry on my calf and it’s hardly notice.357 mag and 38 special.All Ineed is change front sight.

Being a small guy I picked the Model 649 (J Frame) with the intent to use this as my backup carry on my leg or to use this as primary carry when wearing a primary on my belt line was impossible or impractical. The gun is of superior quality and has some heft to it. Mechanically it operates well with a fairly heavy trigger, which is preferred for me with a revolver, and the shrouded hammer significantly reduces the possibility of a fabric snag while drawing the weapon. The option to chamber .357 and .38 Special is plus as well. The grip is rather large and long which makes it easier to hold on to while firing, and let me tell you this little guy needs a fierce grip when firing .357. I’m used to firing 9mm like it’s not even there is and little fellow will let you know he’s there. The down side of the grip is that it is really hard to prevent it from printing in a leg carry scenario unless you are wearing baggy dad pants. I’m still trying to get it just right. The sights are also “shrouded” so you will be looking down a groove on the top of the gun and aligning it with a very subtle front sight. If you are not already strong in your accuracy skills this, along with the short 2 1/8 inch barrel, will add difficulty to precise shot placement beyond 7 yards. The gun is accurate though and I was able to make most of my hits on 8 inch at 20 yards (without stressors). All in all the gun is a great choice for size, quality, and stopping power so long as you can cope with moderately high recoil and report.

Always wanted a S&W 649 Buds had a great price and easy buying had to get it thank you Buds best place to buy your next gun

Great revolver shoots excellent. Good for pocket holster.

For what this revolver is, and if you prefer this configuration, this is a wonderful option. Like the other stainless steel J frames this is a great shooter with 38+p, however .357 can be a handful. More manageable than the airweights, but still a handful. It also has that heavy trigger, which requires some practice to become proficient with. Additionally, I really dislike the grip, but there are plenty of after market grips to meet any preference. I bought this revolver because I wanted the stainless steel 60, 640 and 649 so that I could have the exposed hammer, the concealed hammer and the shrouded hammer carry options in the collection. This revolver is exactly what you are expecting to get, a high quality stainless steel J frame with a shrouded hammer. For meeting all expectations it deserves five stars.

Exactly what I wanted. A great every day concealed carry weapon. We did an action job on it and put in springs and added a pair of Altamont rubber boot grip with wood insert to make it almost perfect. Plan on adding a high vis front sight; bettter for older eyes. Then it should be perfect. Working with Bud's Guns is easy and the item came quickly.

Recoil is minimal. Sounds like a cannon going off. Accuracy satisfactory. I felt sorry for the target.

Another great J Frame S&W. The 649 comes with a very good trigger and the weight allows you to shoot the fight stopping .357 mags without the harsh recoil of the lighter weight J frames. It slips into your pocket and conceals well. I made two changes to mine. I put an XS big dot night sight on the front and changed out the rubber grips for a set of Altamont wood grips. It looks great with the easy to clean polished SS finish. This has fast become my favorite concealed carry gun. As for Bud's, they did their usual great job.